Trial of the soul sage
by jamestheweasel
Summary: When the Primordial Crystal shattered and the Paledrake fell, the chosen undead was given the shard of Seath's soul that Gwyn granted him, not the entire thing. Now in Lothric, the dragon and his companion hear of a legend of aldrich and his scythe of lifehunt. Can the dragon make peace with the humans around him to save his daughter? read and find out.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone I'm back and I should be back until college drags me away in a few months. Until then have the beginning of a long story based around seath's original soul being separated from the one we obtain. Please tell me what you think**

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Many eons have passed from the time of Seath and yet no scholar after him was able to perfect the immortality that he so marvelously mastered. From the best mage to the most powerful god, all of them were unable to reform the secretive crystal that kept that paledrake alive. And so the story faded, and the tale of that scaleless dragon was lost to time. That story was lost, to all but one lone human, who had found that shattered crystal among the remnants of the dragon's lair. That human, who had seen the sparkle within the shattered fractals, the one who found the fire. Much like the pigmy, all those years ago, the human took up the fading flame of a soul and listened to its whispers, to its secrets, to its voice...

And the rest was history

The bodies burned like torches in the long night, their flesh the only thing that kept the ever encroaching darkness from finally overtaking the world.

"I wonder what it is this time," the young man asked himself softly, looking out his tinted window. Outside, a knight was wandering the street, his empty eyes not realizing that it was his flesh that was burning this time. The man sighed before he turned back to his spellbook, trying to get back to his studies despite the broken souls that wandered Lothric's streets at night. On the wooden desk a single candle sat burning. The golding spark passionately blazed despite the cold outside and the dark that had seemed to take the world every time the tiring sun set. The particular spell he was focused on this night was a personal favorite of his, having found its original copy when he raided the archives, all those years ago.

"The archives," he mused with a smile. "Remember them?"

The young man pulled on a small chain that hung around his neck, bringing the tiny necklace from under his shirt to meet his face . The crystal at the bottom of the chain blazed as its owner held its power, its brilliant blue energy warming him in the dark of night. As he looked further in, he once again saw the small speck of a flame among the endless fractals, the flame of a soul.

" _Why do you continue to marvel at something that you can't improve?"_ Seath asked from within the fragile prison. He had asked the question hundreds of times over the life the two had shared but he wondered all the same, having never been pleased with the answer.

"Because I love it," Salvus said with a smile, turning in the old chair to face the bookshelf that filled the wall behind him. It had been eons since the immortal had as much fun as he did with the books of this cycle.

Even though his human could not hear it Seath sighed, having not been answered once again. He had longed for magic because of his lust for immortality but now that he had it, all the books did nothing for his forlorn soul. _"Crystal soul spear?"_ the shard asked, knowing the answer but indulging the human out of respect.

"Elegant isn't it," Salvus marveled, glancing to the intricate set of runes that circled a singular point on the page. By letting the magic twist around an axis it allows the fragments of nearby soul energy to form, creating crystals. All crystal magic worked in a similar way, calling the native power of the world to do the work so caster didn't have to. This is not to say that the spells were the most effective though. In places devoid of native soul energy the magic did almost nothing. While the human marveled over the spell he failed to notice the second set of footsteps that appeared outside.

 _*BOOM*_

" _What in the hells was that?"_ Seath cursed, the magic the brilliant shard eminanted pulsing.

Salvus was also shaken by the sudden clanging of steel on steel but for a very different reason. Jerking up, the human's brilliant blue eyes looked out of his tinted window at just the right time to see a silhouette of a mysterious figure whose sword was hilt deep in the back of the wandering knight. About the same size as himself, the outline of the figure was instantly familiar to the man, as it wore the armor that they always wore, those ill fated knights of Astora. With a tug and a snarl the sword came free from the mass of flesh and metal it had been lodged in, bringing with it a mass of filth and blood. Even in the dark and the tint of the window Salvus could easily see the helm that adorned the assailant as it reflected the last cinders of the burning corpse. Salvus took a brief second to take in the macabre picture of the shimmering knight standing over the burning corpse.

" _You're thinking of going out there, aren't you?"_ Seath asked, knowing even before he received the answer that he was once again resigned to a foolish quest of the human's design.

"That's the third one in the last month," Salvus said, ignoring the exasperated question from the crystal that hung from the titanite chain around his neck. "Its got to be getting close to the reset."

Seath sighed once again. He knew the human was right but he hated the foolishness that surrounded his actions. He wasn't just putting his own life in danger either. If anyone took his soul… the paledrake's fire shuddered, knowing how easily he could have been crushed under the frail hand of that pygmy. Moving away from his long overdue death, the dragon thought to the work ahead of him and his prison slightly brightened. He would never admit that he somewhat enjoyed the human's unpredictability but still Salvus knew. Eons attached to each other did that to a person.

Ignoring the silence of the dragon, human stood, readying himself.

Anri yanked the sword out of the undead knights spine, whispering a small prayer to the lords as the lost soul granted her it's power. It was unpleasant work but it needed to be done if Aldrich was to fall. It was night once again in Lothric, the sun having once again surrendered to twilight's embrace. The slim street she found herself on was hidden from the rest of the castle, behind three curving alleys and an illusionary wall. There was only one door on the dead end street that wasn't boarded up but she had assumed it was like all the others in the jungle of stone and oak, barred from the other side and empty of anything valuable. She found it quite odd that someone would go to such lengths to hide such an unremarkable place but she soon shook it off, realizing that it was yet another thing about the confusing puzzle of a world that she would never know.

"Greetings traveler!" a voice called from behind her, causing the poorly trained knight to jump and swing her sword around to meet the new two figures faced each other in the dim alley, the only light coming from the smoldering remains of the man she had just put to rest. On one side of the street, an armored knight clung desperately to her poorly crafted sword. Her fearful brown eyes panicked as the undetected figure came out of the dark doorway.

On the other side of the street, a young man, not older than herself stood awaiting some response. He was garbed in a brilliant blue and black robe, one which sparkled under the light of the corpse and it ignored the years it had spent in his closet. Attached to his waist, the man had a small wooden rod and a large, silver-covered, tome. The wooden rod was charred and twisted at its top, both results of the powerful magic the chunk of wood had channeled over its long life. The face of the man was unscaved from the horrors that long haunted over the world. The innocence in the man's face and voice startled her more than his sudden appearance. No one was that happy, not anymore.

"Sorry about that," the man said again, noticing that he startled the knight.

" _You're going to get stabbed next time,"_ the gem that brushed against his skin under his robe chastised.

"Oh. you're sane," the woman said with a sigh of relief, hoping her own words rang true ash she said them. "I'm sorry. I didn't know there were other unkindled in the area," she followed quickly. Looking over the odd man she found in front of her with an appraising eye, the knight easily picked out the mage's catalyst and his spellbook among his gear. Both items made her shudder slightly under the armor, there were bad memories caused from similar people in the past. Casters were always the worst of them, always scheming, always up to something, even if they weren't like Aldrich. Anri didn't show her disgust though, there were not enough people left in the world to be picky about company.

On the of the street Salvus thought back to his own demons as the female knight began but locked them away quickly then the knight did and put back on the lighthearted spirit he tried so hard to keep. Salvus chuckled as she finished her sentence, thinking about all the times he had seen knights of Astora like her on their journeys, all of them in that same armor. He wondered what the response would be this time, awe, jealousy, hatred? "Well.. about that…" he said, knowing he would sound insane to her. "I'm not unkindled... Not even undead."

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 **Please review, follow, and favorite**

 **"I'll stick you in my prayers. A fine dark soul, to you."**


	2. Chapter 2

**Second chapter in, third coming soon. Big thanks to my friend Andrew who found some mistakes for me. Please tell me what you think.**

Salvus often mused on what it would be like if those that roamed the world of the living could see the planet as he saw it. He wondered what it would be like if those who came and left his presence could truly understand that the world was perpetually teetering on the brink. What would the world be if the people in it realized that it was only the cycle that kept the drowning land they lived in from slipping into that unknown ocean that awaited them?

Of course he and Seath alone held the lifespans long enough for them to witness such a cycle. Thinking back, he wondered what it would be if he hadn't found himself in the archives on that fateful night. It wasn't long after entering Lordran did the man with nothing left to lose and the desperate dragon meet. Some would even call it fate.

"Well.. about that…" he said, knowing he would sound insane to her. "I'm not unkindled... Not even undead."

"What?!" Anri exclaimed, shocked to the core as the robed figure in front of her claimed not to be undead. "But but…that's..."

"Incredibly stupid? Impossible? Insane?" Salvus guessed randomly, a sly grin washing over his features. He did always love the looks on their faces but the armor that the poor girl wore was good enough for him. "Call it what you like but that doesn't change anything." He took a moment to compose himself, pulling on his robe to make it look better. "I am Salvus, the soul sage," he said, bowing deeply to the obviously inexperienced woman in front of him.

Out of habit she returned the gesture, still shaken from the man's claims. "I am Anri of Astora. Unkindled."

As she lifted the bow, the last light from the corpse faded into the night, leaving the two only a shimmer of starlight to see by in the cramped, dilapidated alley. With the fading of the fire, a soft breeze rushed through the street, nipping at both of their faces, even though one was covered.

"If I may ask," Salvus said politely, the warm of his crystal helping him ignore the cold. "Where are you headed, Anri?" Salvus always asked where they were going when he met them. There was something about that heartfelt passion that he loved hearing about, no matter how similar or how often he heard the stories.

A small wave of hatred washed over the knight's covered face and even though he couldn't see it, Salvus knew it was there by the voice that responded. "I'm heading to face Aldrich, in the Cathedral of the Deep… He has risen."

The gem that rubbed against Salvus's chest sparked, the light within it visible even under the dark robe. _"We're going with her,"_ Seath said, his feral growl of anger pounding against his mind.

" _Agreed,"_ Salvus thought back, remembering the only time his reclusiveness had filled him with anger, the only time he wanted to go out and burn the world. Aldrich, the saint of the deep, eater of men, slayer of children, devourer of gods, and lord of cinder. He should never have let those accursed actions happen, especially while he was so close. It was a stroke of luck that made it possible to have a second chance, only that god eater's stupidity to allow him a chance to learn the truth. As Anri stood in front of the mage his eyes went blank, distant as he and the paledrake planned and plotted.

" _Catalyst? Check. Spellbook? Check. Bottomless box?"_ Salvus felt behind him to the small cherrywood box that lingered on his leather belt. _"Check."_

 _"Good,"_ seath hissed, his words full of the hate for the soon to be dead lord.

"Salvus?" Anri called for the third time, her words full of worry for the man who had suddenly gone silent.

"Oh, yes." he said, just remembering the woman who stood in front of him. " Would you mind if I join you on your quest Anri? I could go for a little adventure."

The knight was taken aback, confused over why such a man would take on such a quest on just a whim. "Umm…" she stammered. "Ok, sure. But I wanted to head to Firelink for now. I was getting tired and it's late."

Salvus nodded, expecting the response. He felt the cold he even with his friend keeping his body warm. "Excellent. I'll see you there." Pulling out a small bone from the box around his hip, Salvus smiled at the woman under the armor. It has been awhile since he had met a friendly face, especially one who he could use as a conduit. One unfortunate thing about not being undead was that Salvus was unable to use homeward bones to find each cycle's Firelink. He had to find an undead to be able to warp from bonfire to bonfire but now, one had revealed herself to him.

With a snap of the pale bone the magic circled around him, sending his mind and body miles away to the isolated temple that always appeared to lure in the foolish and the foolhardy. The golden wind of the bonfires dissipated from his sight and the cold night fled from his body and he found himself back in the shrine.

 _"Salvus, wake up..."_ a voice called, digging through the deepest depths of his mind.

 _"Five more minutes..."_ he called back, the crystal still speaking to him even in his dreams.

" _It's time Salvus,"_ the paledrake called again, his words more gentle than they had ever been in life.

Salvus groaned and his body squirmed, the incessant dragon had a point. Slowly, his eyes opened and he burned the rest of the dream.

"Seath, where are we?" he asked as he looked around the grey stone that made up the back of the prince's throne. He had no memory of anything after he used the homeward bone.

" _This is why you shouldn't rely on my power to stay awake,"_ the stone thought back mockingly. After a brief pause the pale gem inaudibly sighed and continued. "We are in Firelink, Salvus. It's changed much but it still feels the same. They give thrones to those who link the fire now but the keeper is still blind and it's still a home for the homeless."

Salvus nodded and clambered out of the cotton bedroll. His eyes found themselves drawn to the large throne beside him and the ghosts of embers that lingered in the carved stone. Salvus ran his hand across the armrest of the throne, feeling the nearly hot granite that made up the largest throne in the room, Lothric's. Salvus stretched his arms and walked back to the discarded bed, folding it back up and stuffing it in the small cherrywood box that awaited its use on his belt. He had made the box centuries ago but even still he marveled at the wood's ability to take his punishment, warping to swallow whatever item he placed next to its maw. After he was settled and everything of his was accounted for, the young man made his way down to the fire that functioned as the center of the shrine, running his hands over the surface of the thrones he passed as he passed them. Lothric, Yhorm, and the Watchers, all recognizable names but none familiar.

"You've redecorated," he said to no one in particular as he smugly circled the bonfire at its center, succeeding in regaining the lighthearted attitude that he tried to always hold. That same coiled sword protruded from the center as it always did, warming the dirt by his feet. Salvus paused as his mind once again made sense of the intricate stonework of the building that surrounded him and the 'dirt' by his feet. Crouching on the grey substance, he ran his hand through the loosely packed material and watched as a cloud of grey formed where his hand had disturbed the ground.

" _Ash,"_ Seath marveled from under Salvus's cloak, not noticing the detail before Salvus pointed it out.

" _Things have changed…"_

"Greetings, Ashen one,"

"Ah!" Salvus screamed, launching himself away from the mysterious woman who had appeared out of the corner of his vision. The woman was clad in a black dress and a similarly dark shaw, while her entire form radiated an uncanny robotic edge to it. He managed not to pull his weapon on the woman though, having recognized who she was by the sound of her voice. "Greetings, keeper of the fire," he said after a few seconds that he spent composing himself. There was never much to say to the fire keepers. Despite their varied appearance through the centuries, all the blind maidens didn't have a life outside the fire. This quirk made things quite tricky for the already socially inept sorcerer but luckily he was saved from floundering at social interaction.

*Clang* A hammer struck a piece of metal, the sound instantly familiar.

*Clang* Salvus looked around, finding himself in front of a candle lit corridor

*Clang* His eyes locked with the soft sparks that spilled off of the red hot iron that the grey smith hammered and in the blink of an eye, his face grew into a bright smile. He hadn't died. Andre of Astora was always a mystery to the smiling human. The smith never died, never aged, and almost never talked about his long life but despite the puzzle he presented, Salvus didn't care to pester him about it. Andre was just a simple smith and a friend to those who needed one.

"How does she sing today?" Salvus recited as he approached, ignoring the red-robed woman that he passed on the way there. The crimson metal banged against the floor as the smith dropped the piece of iron and looked up to the ghost that appeared before him.

"Salvus…" Andre gasped, the young boy he had watched grow up once again appeared before him, the same mischievous smile on his face. "You still owe me for that dagger you stole," the smith joked, stepping over the piece of metal he had forgotten about to embrace the child in a bone-crushing hug. The man's bare arms were already sweating, even though he had just started the work for the day but salvus didn't mind the moisture or the smell, especially from the friend.

"Put it on my tab, Paps" Salvus wheezed from within the hug. He could have paid for the dagger a hundred times over but doing so would have gotten rid of the one reason he had left to visit the smith. The man released the hug, planting his powerful hand on the wizard's shoulder.

"Good to see ya' kid. How're ya' doin?" Andre barked, his feral smile returning for the first time in a long time.

"Still doing good. How are you?"

The blacksmith shrugged, taking his hand off the wizard's shoulder and absentmindedly placing them in his pockets. "Lots of customers but no one just sits down and talks anymore. They're all too busy."

"I can't say I really blame them," Salvus responded, thinking back to his own quest. " The world is ending again, people tend to forget about the small stuff."

The smith hummed in agreement and turned back to the piece of iron that had fallen on the floor with a curse. His faced turned back to the gruff line it was normally. "There was a girl looking for you earlier. Young lass in armor, said she would wait for you by Vordt, whatever that means."

Salvus nodded, knowing that yet another one of their conversations was coming to an end prematurely. "Stay safe, Andre," he said, turning to leave.

"And don't you dare go hollow," Andre responded, turning back to his work. Both of the men knew that Salvus couldn't go hollow given that he wasn't even undead but the parting was still sweet. It was the good old days all over again. Quickly, the azure robed mage glided back to the bonfire, kicking up a plume of ash ash as he went . His hand stuck out to touch the warm coiled sword that heated the heart of the shrine and thought back to the undead that his power was tied to. Just as before, the golden energy of the flames swirled around him and with a rush of their winds he found himself somewhere else.

 **Third chapter probably coming tomorrow. Follow, fav, review**

 **"Many fall in the face of chaos, but not this one... not today." -Darkest Dungeon**


	3. Chapter 3

**Going to a con, won't be able to post for a few days, have fun with this. Tell me what you think. Thanks to a different friend for looking over this chapter, he goes by Electron Gaming.**

" _Salvus… we need to talk,"_ Seath called as Salvus took in the view from his new spot. He was at the second bonfire of the wall of Lothric, standing at the top of a large turret that looked over the high wall and its burgundy spires. Far off, across the labyrinth of stone a dragon landed on a spire, its ancient scales holding the power that many thought impossible.

" _What is it?"_ he thought back, his eyes trailing the city for the church next to the castle's entrance.

" _Aldrich is alive,"_ Seath said darkly, remembering his past mistakes. _"Which means he can dream."_ Salvus nodded, knowing exactly what the dragon was alluding to.

Aldrich held the gift of dreamsight, the only power that the mad priest could wield that Salvus couldn't understand. It was common knowledge that the the consumer had dreams but only a few knew the truth behind those visions. Andrich's dreams were not only prophetic. They granted him power. If he dreamed of someone using a spell, he could learn it himself. Salvus then saw the choice in front of him with crystal clarity. He could use his true power and give Aldrich more, or pretend to be weaker than he actually was and surprise the bastard.

"We really need Anri," Salvus muttered, as he began to pace the tower, the cold stones coming loose beneath his feet. The knight of Astora was probably doomed like the rest of her ilk, however she was undead and he needed an undead. Without his full power, he couldn't guarantee that someone wouldn't get a lucky hit in between the top of the tower and Aldrich, and one was all it would take.

"Agreed," the crystal hummed, both minds turning to the set of stairs that would lead them down the tower and over the rooftops. Eons ago, when the paledrake still had a physical form, Salvus would have been scoffed at if he claimed that the paledrake wasn't purely evil, possibly even killed for it. Even in the parts of Vinheim and Lothric that remembered him, the mention of the drakes name was met with scorn, a justifiable response given the actions he took in his life. However, after the first few years trapped around the wizard's neck he began recounting how he would have lived his life differently. He pondered the mistakes he was too arrogant to recognize in life and the people he should have spent his life with. Of course, he hardly ever talked to his human about the sins that haunted his sleepless existence, but they both knew they were still there. There was a similar understanding about the humans past as well. It was often painful for the insecure human, watching his kind be born, live, and die while he was always the same, stuck in time. He watched as the people in his life disappeared before him, leaving only the drake. A very long time ago, a woman once told that the two misfits were made for each other. The mortal dragon, lacking the scales of his kin, and the immortal human, who was too afraid of death to let time weather his body. It was clear that the universe hated the both of them.

Checking back over his equipment, Salvus began the slow journey down the withering wooden interior of the tower. A few seconds into the dark structure and Salvus's heart was already pounding, realizing he was in danger for the first time in a long time.

"Relax," Seath chastised, seeing the obvious signs that Salvus was somehow oblivious to. Covering the hardly stable floor, the signs of a newly won battle were clear as day. From the splatter of blood that covered a large swath of the floor to the torn body of a knight in traditional Lothric armor, Anri had obviously already made her way through the tower.

"Damn she's good," he marveled traveling down the crumbling staircase and out to the roof, stepping over the twitching bodies of the undead as he did so. Internally Seath grimaced, his crystal growing slightly colder against the oblivious human's chest. He had seen the symptoms that man was beginning to display only a few times previously but each and every time it ended poorly. Seath kept his hypothesis that it was the hormones flowing through the humans which made them so vulnerable to each other, especially to those of the opposite sex. The remnants of a poorly planned ambush fell behind the smirking mage as he took the two ladders leading to the cobbled first floor of the grand castle city. Before him stood a familiar stone fountain, its long dry edges lined by a rickety raw iron fence and the smell of soot filled the air. A pyre crafted by the mad knights sat shimmering at its base. All around the empty courtyard the empty armor of Lothric knights sat abandoned, their weapons likewise scattered. As salvus passed through the corpse ridden courtyard, he shuddered, looking for the first time at the remnants of the city he had helped design. Instantly, his eyes gravitated to the recently deceased corpse of a winged knight and the three noticeable holes thrust through the back of the heavy armor. Seath had to admit, she was good. It took a special type of person to slaughter their way through Lothric but still he didn't like it. The better there were the more attracted he tended to be. Walking passed the dry fountain, Salvus paced down the set of stair leading to the heart of the castle city. Before him was the grand staircase of Lothric, leading up to the church and down to the entrance. The bodies of the holy Lothric knights and the pilgrims did little to muddy the grandeur of the towering church that stood resolutely over the city. It did even less to weaken the glimpse of the sun that he was able to see through the clouds. At the entrance to the city, Salvus smiled as he locked eyes with the knight, ignoring the shadow that the gate cast over the stone.

"Impressive work," Salvus complimented as he approached.

Anri nodded sheepishly from under the silver helm, not accustomed to such praise, especially from someone as educated as a mage. "Its unpleasant work but still... thank you ."

Only slightly noticing the woman's insecurities Salvus stepped forward, passing the corpses of the Londor pilgrims and moving up to the gate of fog. "Do you ever wonder why these show up?" Salvus said absentmindedly, pulling and pushing at the thick haze that separated them from the beast that surely awaited them.

"Uhh. I don't really know. I've never really thought about it before," she said awkwardly, seeing the unnaturally happy man for the first time in the light of day. His scruffy brown hair and innocent speech made her give a small smile from under the armor. There wasn't enough people left to be picky about company but she would be lying if she claimed that wasn't somewhat attracted to that aura of mystique. She didn't know whether or not to believe him when he claimed to not be undead but she didn't really care. It was nice to have someone to talk to, even if it wasn't horace. Shaking off her foolish attraction, she joined him by the fog gate, remembering that he was still a mystery and a sorcerer. He was a temporary ally at best.

"Ready?" he asked after taking a deep breath, his words slicing through the silence of her head.

"Ready," she answered, putting the thoughts out of her mind as she pulled out her sword. She glanced to the wizard standing next to her and marveled in her mind. Students of sorcery, at least the ones she had met, always used the skill only as a part of their toolbox, never their entire arsenal. It might have been the time she had spent in the ground or the madness of the man next to her, but he didn't wield a weapon, only the warped catalyst that he pull from his waist. Together, the pair stepped through the deep fog and watched as the large crimson door that separated Lothric from the rest of the world materialized in front of them. Unlike the rest of the castle, the stones were crushed and broken and the roots of some great unseen plant coverd the door. The dark green spindles flowed down from the rotting door to the cracked stonework. In the center of the yard, before the grand door, the reason for the floors decrepit state stood waiting.

The mass of silver armor stood on all fours, the creature inside the armor having long forgotten how it felt like to walk any other way. It awaited their arrival from under the bleached armor, its mace buried in the ground to support its crushing weight. As the two entered the enclosed space, two burning orbs appeared under the helm of the creature, for the first time in a long time able to complete its purpose. Like a dance, the fight began. The creatures howl echoed against the stone and bounced into Salvus's head, dazing him as he faced the first real danger he had faced in decades. As the creature charged forward time slowed.

" _Focus,"_ Seath hissed, his powerful words cutting through the panic that was building in his heart like a sharpened knife. "Remember what we've studied. Nothing original, nothing risky, play it safe, use the old favorites…"

"Agnologiged," Salvus thought back, his mind slipping into the robotic state of a true sorcerer. Rolling away from the creatures initial charge, salvus steeled himself. With her own sword at the ready and having been ignored by the hounds first attack, Anri started her assault, hacking away at the armor in the desperate attempt to slice through the soft flesh underneath. With its mace still firmly in its hand, the creature charged again at Salvus. It didn't even feel the sword that clinked against its armor.

" _Dodge,"_ Seath hissed, helping his human to jump just at the right time to avoid the frosted mace that crystallized the air directly below him. As the blue robed mage fled to the back of the chamber, he watched with a smile as Anri distracted Lothric's slave. With a charging thrust and a pained grunt, the knight chased down the creature and lunged, her blow finding a nook in one of the back legs, digging deep. Unfortunately his smile wavered as the blue eyes of Vordt blazed and the creature turned, feeling the pain of the knight's blade.

Battle did a strange thing to the minds of the creatures it swallowed. In that tence dance everything became clear, friend from foe, life from death, and good from evil. With a swift wave of the mace the creature sweeped Anri off of her feet, splintering the bone that hid under her relatively soft armor with a deafening crack. As Salvus gawked, the back of the creature showed itself to him, having reared up on its back legs to prepare the powerful downward strike. With fire in his eyes, Salvus held his catalyst, the arcane symbols weaving through his mind and becoming reality through his catalyst. The warped head of the oak staff shimmered with heat, granting the audience he had with the sight of not just real sorcerer, but the true magic of the Paledrake. A screech filled the sky as his magic conjured the remnants of unclaimed souls that filled Lothric's air. In a blink of an eye, a narrow, spinning cone formed in the air, the crystals of soul fragments forming with the power that the mage conjured. The teal spear of souls screamed through the air, finding the back of the furious beast and punching through the metal like a sword through paper. It was beautiful and elegant, the power drunk mage thought briefly. It was real sorcery.

"Crystal soul spear," Salvus whispered as his own energy drained from his body, watching as the now dead husk of the creature crumpled in on itself, leaving the corpse inches from the speechless and crippled Anri. "And stay down you-" the wizard's words were cut short as he felt the full effect of his lack of practice. With a painful thunk, the wizards head met the stone and the world went black.

 **Follow, fav, review, ect. Next chapter coming soon.**

"Hope" is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I've heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

-Hope, by Emily Dickinson


	4. Chapter 4

**Back from con, wrote a short chapter for you guys, god it sucks when I can't pester my friends to read my junk. *groan* I need a beta reader. Anyway, tell me what you guys think.**

Anri blinked under the helm as the silence of the world returned to her. She was prepared to die and wake again at the bonfire but the wizard, the human, had saved her. She had never seen a wizard use a spell like that. Moreover, she had never seen a sorcerer fall like that after casting a spell. And the power behind his magic… As she pulled her estus off her belt and took a swig of the liquid fire, one thing about the mage became clear to her. He wasn't just trying to get close enough to back stab her. Anyone with that type of power didn't take risks, especially ones that left them unconscious next to an armed knight. If he did want something from her he would have just killed her and taken it. Groaning, she got up on her now healed leg and staggered over to the mage, making sure that the head wound was as superficial as it first appeared. A few seconds passed and the knight became confident that he would survive. Slowly, she turned her attention away from him and to the grand crimson gate before her. She just stood there, taking in the view for a few seconds. With a small prayer to her gods she heaved, pushing the rooted structure apart with the remaining adrenaline that the fight had given her. The old iron moaned and the wood relented, slowly revealing the sinking world...

" _Wake up,"_ Seath hissed nervously, finally feeling the cold haze over the human's mind lift slightly.

"Five more minutes," Salvus muttered, his eyes tightly shut and his arms warm from the crackling heat of the bonfire. His mind lingered on the edge of consciousness, having drained most of his energy for the spell he had improperly cast. The armor across from him jolted up, finally hearing the sound she wanted to hear.

"You're ok," she said with a sigh of relief, delighted as the dazed sorcerer opened his weary eyes and took a look around. They were no longer on the high wall of Lothric. Somehow, they had traveled thousands of feet down to the battlements that lay at the foot of the high wall. Unlike the relatively polished stonework of the castle above, clumps of grass made their way through the ancient cobbles, softening the ground that the human sat upon.

"What, what happened?" He said drunkenly, sitting up from his spot on the ground and taking a look at the dilapidated settlement that he sat before. The mass of hastily assembled timbers made a haunting image against the backdrop of the smog ridden grey-grey sky. Salvus heard of the undead settlement like he heard of most places in the cycles, but his knowledge was sparse and based only on what he had read. Humming thoroughly, he moved his gaze from the mass of rotting timbers to the woman who stood across from him. Despite the circling ravens and the dark sky the golden crest on the knight's armor still shined, drawing his attention.

"You tell me," Anri said, a hint of irritation in her voice as she stared at the small scrape that was left on the human's head. "I tried giving you estus but…"

"The downside about being human," he interrupted, rising to his feet and stretching. "I over exerted myself in panic. I was afraid and made a stupid error. It won't happen again."

The knight blinked a few times as she slowly accepted the truth. She came to terms with more than his humanity. She knew he had risked his one and only life to save her. "So," she said, her voice holding a subdued amazement for the man. "What now?"

" _Yes, Salvus. What now?"_ Seath asked, his hiss laced with anger.

"What's your problem," He said aloud, to the surprise of the oblivious knight.

" _You were reckless. You didn't manage your own power."_

"Look," he hissed back, turning from the knight to face the castle that towered above them." I'm just a bit rusty."

" _Is that all?" Seath shot back. "Because from my perspective it looks like you're getting attached again."_

The mage's heart started to pound against the crystal and his face flushed red with anger. "I am not getting attached!" he yelled, his voice carrying all the way to farron keep.

" _Then why did you protect her?"_

"Because I needed to. Without her I wouldn't be able to cast properly and then we would both be dead." He threw his hands up, shaking his fist at the dragon that he knew wasn't in front of him. Seconds passed and the dragon remained silent, both of their emotions fuming at each other.

"Salvus?" Anri screamed.

"What!" he demanded whirling around to see the armed knight pointing her sword at him. Under the helm, he could sense the fear in her eyes, the terror that came from watching someone go mad. It hadn't been the first time either. The stance she took wasn't desperate or panicked, it was hardened. She looked more prepared than she did at their fight against Vordt. The woman was ready to end his life if she needed to and more willing. "Anri... " he whispered, his blue eyes gaining the emotion he just claimed to lack.

" _Kill her, she is a danger."_

" _No."_ Salvus thought back.

"Have you gone mad?" she asked, lowering her sword an inch.

"No," Salvus echoed with the same stalwart tone.

"Then what was that?" Her voice had gotten smoother, more concerned but still laced with fury. "You just…"

Salvus sighed, remembering all the times similar talks had ended relationships."I can't tell you," he said soberly.

"What do you mean you can't tell me?" The knight demanded.

"I made a promise to keep it a secret," Salvus said, honestly. "One I made a very long time ago…"

Anri pondered the information that the man had just revealed to her. He had such sadness in his eyes, those eyes that hours ago, in the alley, had shown such her only joy and whimsy. She was wrong, he wasn't untouched by the cruel world. He was just better at hiding it then she had first thought. Additionally, he hadn't lied to her, even though that would have been easier. In fact, the lanky man hadn't shown a sliver of untrustworthiness in the short time she had to judge his character. Plus, she doubted she would be able to stop him if he was truly mad.

"Ok, I believe you," she said grudgingly, looking to the quickly setting sun. "But lets hurry it up, we don't have much time until night falls and I want to get closer than this before dark." Before Salvus could respond, she turned and started her way down the battlements, leaving him behind with his thoughts.

" _We are going to talk later,"_ Seath hissed, disgusted.

" _Agreed,"_ Salvus thought back with a similar tone of hate.

The clacking of the knights armor echoed through her heavy suit, helping ebb the fears that lingered in the back of her head. Despite thinking herself correct, there was always the possibility of being wrong and dying, again. With her death would come the danger of hollowing and the energy it would take to drag her spirit back to the bonfire. It would be a roll of the dice, whether or not she would have the strength to retain her sanity when she reappeared, and she had forgotten so much already. Still, she was much better off than others of her kind, even if some of the details were fuzzy. She at least remembered her parents faces, her home's comfort and her friends' names. Yet, there were still the bad memories that came with the good. The sounds of the screaming, the pain of fire, and the look on his face when he evaluated the children. All of the visions of the past haunted her dreams. More than anything else, it was that self absorbed smirk that held her to her, holding her to her purpose.

As her mind drifted away from the man behind her, she focused on the world that lay before her. The old and rusted portcullis that guarded the entrance to the settlement creaked upward as the hollow on the other side activated the mechanism. Behind her, Salvus followed, wordless. A group of pale hollows knelt in front of the slowly opening gate, their soft cries drowned out by the calling of crows. Gracefully, the knight pulled her sword from her scabbard, watching as the gaunt hounds that lay on the other side of the gate growled, hungering for a meal that they saw before them on the crumbling remnant of Lothric's bridge. Both Anri and Salvus wished it to be the first time they had seen such a horrific sight, to be stuck once again with horror by the barbarism before them. However, this wasn't the case. They only felt the neutrality and adrenaline of the calm before battle, a feeling that none could express only after the deeds was done. Salvus pulled his catalyst from his ancient leather belt and whispered a steady chant of arcane syllables from under his breath. The magic should stabilize and enhance his power. He was ready this time.

The five hounds flew out as the reinforced wood climbed upward to allow. The crowd of lanky flesh cried out as the canines, malnourished and undead, dug into their hollow flesh. Yet, their protests did nothing to stop them. As Anri came to the bottom of the stairs, two of the hounds turned away from the hollows and faced her. Their bloodsoaked and malformed jaws aimed at a new target, letting go of the limp figure they were devouring a second earlier. However, before the dogs jumped a screech flew through the air, followed by a flash of blue faster than the eye could see. The soul arrow embedded itself in the dog's head, melting whatever was left of its torchered brain in a second. The other one wasn't as lucky. As it pounced, the knight sidestepped, running her blade against its skeletal hide as it flew by. It landed with a whimper, most of its shriveled organs threatening to fall out from the gash she had drawn down its drained body. With the small amount of empathy he had left Salvus weaved another bolt of magic, burning away what was left of the dog that writhed on the ground.

The three other hounds looked up from their fleeing meals and spied the carnage that the two had just inflicted, jumping to the death their brethren had just experienced. The first one, that came from the right of the duo was easily shot down as yet another soul arrow flew through the air, its piercing magic hardened by this mage's chant . Unfortunately though, the bolt was not as true as his others. The turquoise flash only embedded itself in the hound's spine, putting it out howling on the ground but not dead. The other two flung themselves at the knight but they too had nothing but failure. The golden floral crest on the royal blue shield held strong as the two careened into it, splashing the blood of their other victims over her and it as their festering bodies crashed against the metal. As soon as the two fell to the ground Anri's sword flashed, slicing through the necks of both hounds like they were but paper. Meanwhile, Salvus's staff hummed again and yet another arrow flung at the wounded dog, putting it to rest. Like a passing wind, the battle was over, leaving only the few cries of hollows against the backdrop of silence. Salvus slowly breathed out, trying to rid himself of the stress that he had gathered over the last few minutes. He was unsuccessful. With the portcullis open and the hounds slain Anri walked through the arch and entered the undead settlement. Salvus took a brief glance back to where the bridge originally connected to the rest of lotric and marveled. Those black robed pilgrims of Londor were always a mystery to him, mostly because none of them ever wrote anything down. Why did they where those stones on their back? What was the Sable church? Why were they coming here to die? All the questions that he needed answers to but no one had bothered to ask. The only reason he knew any of the sparse rumors at all was because of the loose lips of Lothric's dungeons and their king of thieves. With a sigh, Salvus looked to the greenish grey horizon and the setting sun. Too much work, too little time.

 **Follow, fav, review, potato, ect**

 **Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,**

 **And sorry I could not travel both**

 **And be one traveler, long I stood**

 **And looked down one as far as I could**

 **To where it bent in the undergrowth;**

 **Then took the other, as just as fair,**

 **And having perhaps the better claim,**

 **Because it was grassy and wanted wear;**

 **Though as for that the passing there**

 **Had worn them really about the same,**

 **And both that morning equally lay**

 **In leaves no step had trodden black.**

 **Oh, I kept the first for another day!**

 **Yet knowing how way leads on to way,**

 **I doubted if I should ever come back.**

 **I shall be telling this with a sigh**

 **Somewhere ages and ages hence:**

 **Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—**

 **I took the one less traveled by,**

 **And that has made all the difference.**

 **The Road Not Taken**

 **BY ROBERT FROST**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, sorry for the delay, AP classes have tests soon and I've been studying like a fiend to prepare for them. Got this out though, more coming after the tests. I picked up some writing advise from that con I went to, didn't apply it much here but I'll do so in the future.**

The first thing to strike to the two travelers was the stench. Unlike Lothric, the dirt street of the settlement reeked of the corpses, bile, and blood that the inhabitants had shed over the years. Anri gagged as she looked up to the reason for the circling ravens they had seen from afar. Stuck on pikes, leaning over the road, the burnt corpses of the town's inhabitants lingered, acting as a morbid warning to whoever was unfortunate enough to pass through the gate. Trying to avoid glancing at the smoldering spiked bodies, the two walked slowly over to the wreckage of a lookout on the right side of the road. Inside, a bonfire smoldered, coming to life as Anri to placed her hand over it. The terse silence no longer separated the two of them while they looked around the empty room, having purged their respective anger through their battle. Walking out to the balcony, Salvus stared at the horizon, watching the orange sunset against the green sky.

"How long was I out?" he asked as he traced the horizon of the settlement and appreciated the large stone tower in the distance.

"A few hours," Anri said , stepping besides him on the cramped balcony. If she was less stressed she might have been embarrassed about the closeness but the hours trying to wake the sorcerer, the stench, and the grotesque environment ruined that luxury.

The two stood in silence on that platform, the sound of the bonfire keeping them from hearing the far off cries of dying hollows. "I'm sorry that I can't tell you much about myself," Salvus said with a sigh, keeping his eyes locked on the horizon.

The knight shared in his sigh, slowly finding it in herself to say the words she needed to say, "It's fine…"

A moment of silence passed between them again as they watched the silhouette of a giant from the top of the distant tower fire a man sized arrow into the settlement. Salvus let out a soft morbid chuckle from within his blue and black robes. "Five gold coins say that we're going to see the other end of that bow."

Anri joined in the merriment as a short laugh escaped the helm. "I hate that I'm not willing to take that bet."

"We should probably get back to firelink," he said after a few minutes of watching the sunset. "I don't know how far the next bonfire is from here and I don't want to end up trapped here at night."

"Agreed," Anri said after a time.

After heading back inside, the two placed their hands over the bonfire that lingered in the center of the rotting room, letting the golden wind sweep their bodies away. During the small time in the nothingness, Salvus wondered. It was so utterly peaceful a moment ago, he liked that…Now it was time to talk...

Xxxxx

The crystals that made up the cave's singular chamber shimmered with the unnatural light that they produced. As Salvus stepped across the smooth floor, his body shivered, the cold making itself known. Through the empty, echoing cavern Salvus peered, his eyes combing the walls for the thing he knew he would find.

"We are not killing her," the mage growled, his eyes locked with the two crystals that glowed slightly brighter than the others.

As a response the cave shook, its cold fractals humming with the response from the still unmoving mass of glass. "You are getting attached to the woman, Salvus, and right now isn't the time to be making costly mistakes like that."

"So you want to kill her for it?" the mage demanded, his voice rushing through the jeweled cavern and chilling the already frozen room.

"She pointed a sword at you!" the voice shot back, the dragon showing himself.

With the piercing roar of cracking glass, the wall came alive, its mass of crystals shuddering forward. As the quadrupedal dragon's angular forepaws slammed against the rocky ground, inches from the unmoving mage, Salvus finally was able to see the nearly invisible creature in full . As soon as he did it, the dragon recoiled slightly, his tone darkening, becoming humble. "She could have killed us, Salvus... We haven't come that close since…" the dragon flashed his mind back, remembering the time that a random mugger had succeeded in sliding a knife through his ribs and puncturing his lung. If the crystal didn't give him slightly more resilience than an average human, he would be dead. Both of them shuddered from the memory.

"I get it Seath," Salvus agreed, his tone also lowering as he stepped over the dragon's paw and hesitantly put a hand on the creature's slightly translucent white snout. The contact no longer made Salvus shudder; instead, the cold glass only calmed him. It was much different in the early years. "But we need her, and... I like her."

The dragon growled, backing up and ripping his snout away from the human's touch. The low rumble filled the cavern and reverberated in his mind. "You're attached," he said flatly. Silence in the cave went unbroken as Salvus heard the dragon's unsaid words. _"She is going to die before you and if not, she is going to get us killed."_

A moment passed before the silence was broken. The robed mage's eyes burned as bright as the dragon's, glaring into the creature the mage called friend. "Don't act like you're not attached too, Seath."

"She's different," he growled. The tone of his voice was different this time, less like a dangerous beast and more like a wounded animal; a desperate animal.

"Saving both of them requires killing Aldrich," Salvus shot back, remembering how inexperienced Anri looked in battle. The knight wouldn't have lasted a minute against a real mage, let alone a lord of cinder.

The crystalline creature paused for a moment before sighing softly and walking forward, pressing its snout against the human's chest, touching the human once more. He was right.

It took the mage years before he convinced the dragon to let him try to pet him but now the movement felt like second nature, relaxing to both human and dragon. "We kill Aldrich and figure it out from there," Salvus said, his grip slipping as he lost focus.

"Agreed," Seath replied as the world melted."And we will find what he did with my daughter…"

His eyes opened. Salvus once again found his eyes to be staring at the back of Lothric's throne and his body sitting. His mind had traveled back from the brilliant crystal around his neck and once again he sensed the rush of feeling that replaced the cold. Slowly, he got up and stretched, glad to have the warm throne to comfort his body and the soft crackling of the bonfire to calm his mind. The shrine at night was not much different than the shrine during the day. Both were lit by the flickering lights of candles and both held the odd warmth that even a human could sense. After all, there was a reason why they named the enchanted remains of the undead homeward bones. This was home for many and he felt that same instinct rise in him. This was home, at least for now. After a minute of enjoying the view from beside Lothric's throne, the blue robed mage placed his bottomless box on the ground and got to work.

With practiced efficiency, Salvus pulled out and took stock of the trinkets and oddities he had stashed away in his wood-encased hoard. In a very orderly fashion he circled himself with the magical oddities: weapons, trinkets, and mementos he had collected from his time as an immortal. Some of the objects drew greater attention from his appraising eye than others, of course; mostly the weapons.

He had three particular weapons of merit among the cache of highly upgraded swords, hammers, and daggers. Each one was more unique and memorable than the last. He often pondered the meaning of the onyx-jeweled hilt of the first weapon as the wielder would not care for its extravagance during battle and any opponent's wouldn't be drawn to it. Above the hilt and the slim curving guard, the true brilliance of the weapon shined, however shine would not be how he would describe it. Where a normal blade would have sprouted from the black hilt, only air could be found. The blade was invisible. He knew the spell for the trick, but it's permanence and the crafter's skill with magic still impressed him.

Laying next to the invisible blade was another of his three favorites: a crystal rapier. The sword refracted the dull light from the candles around the shrine and twisted them into a brilliant rainbow, which it flung upon the wall. Much like his own magic, the crystal-encrusted sword channeled the souls from which it was forged, solidifying them and holding them in a glass-like form. From the pommel to the blade, everything on the elegant piercing weapon was covered with a fine layer of those tiny knives. This defect made it incredibly unpleasant for him to wield but still he liked having it, if only as a back up.

The final important piece that he trailed his eyes over was not as impressive as the other two weapons, or the rest of the items in his collection, but it still made him think the large greyish great sword was shattered half way up the blade, revealing the original color of the weapon and the truth behind its master. The pure titanite sword fragment in front of him was baked in three inches of ash, destroying the shimmering black that it must have been when the lord had first used it. Only one person in history would have had that much access to titanite and would have destroyed it so carelessly. This was the broken sword of the original Lord of Cinder, Father Gwyn. Just thinking of the burning old man carrying the heavy piece of metal made Salvus shudder. Even though the sword held no power from the god, just the idea of having something that he touched took the mage's breath away. Sure, he was foolish for trying to rekindle the first flame, but still, he was Gwyn.

Minutes passed, filled with the mage and the dragon going over their ideas on some of the more mysterious elements of the other parts of his collection before he collected the items and shoved the back in the small box. It was unhealthy to leave that power in the open. Even the more mundane parts of his collection could turn a foolish hollow into a katana-wielding badass in a matter of seconds.

...

"Wait," Salvus said aloud, just having placed the box back on his hip.

" _I wondered how long it would take you,"_ the dragon thought with a chuckle.

"Wow…" Salvus marveled to himself. He had found her in the morning, preparing above the shrine, next to the giant tree. The warm light of the sun pierced through the grey clouds, illuminating the crumbling stone staircase, which lead up to the locked shrine tower. Unlike the rest of the greenery he had spied through Lothric, the plants that had made their way through the stones were not ominous. They held none of the signs of the terror that haunted this world. The grass was just the green, nothing else. Near the edge of the crumbling structure, a tree reached up to the sun, smooth brown roots clutching onto the falling earth. Across the narrow grassy path, along the edge of the roof and up the stairs, a woman dug through her leather backpack, checking over her items. The woman's back was turned to him and her head was bowed, showing him only the dull blue of the faded armor's crested shirt. He opened his mouth to call out to her but before the words left his throat a faint breeze passed by, blowing a strand of the woman's black hair away from her head and into his view. She wasn't wearing her helmet.

It suddenly came to the mage how rare the sight was. The woman that still had her back turned to him was doned in a set of chain exclusive to the elite knights of astora and they took their armor seriously. A knight's helm was as important as his blade, more so in some cases. A second later he connected the dots.

Still startled, he tried to form a sentence. "Uhh.. Hi Anri." Like lightning, she jolted up and spun around, shock in her no longer hidden features.

Like a painting in a museum, he dug into the portrait in front of his vission, his shocked gaze seeing everything with the clarity of his crystalline spells. A knight didn't just wear armor for protection of the body, they wore it to protect the mind from the eyes of others. Salvus could see everything about the woman, from her past to her future by just looking into those brown pools in the center of her face. Her features were not those of a warrior, they didn't hold the calluses and rigid bones that came with battle. Instead, they were smooth, like a lady from a noble's estate or like his own. Even though she lacked the look of a warrior, she still had the scars. From the top of her short cut black hair down to her smooth chin, a faint blue scar trailed town her face, the tissue interweaved with the remnants of the magic. That's why she wanted Aldrich's head, he was the one who did it to her and probably all of the others she knew. He understood. A single prod to the temple was enough to drain the body of its magical current, moreover, he understood how it worked. He knew of the technique because it was part of his vast toolbox but its power came with a price. The slow, excruciating pull of extracting a creature's life force was inhuman. He had done that to her, twisted her into a writing, skeletal corpse before he started eating her. If she was lucky she died from the spell but the hate that she radiated told otherwise. She was eaten alive. Salvus saw everything. She was unkindled, risen from bones by the fading of the fire, bent on killing the man who had caused her so much pain.

The fear and shame in her eyes as she jerked away and reached for her helm told him more still. The woman was ashamed of the mark along her face, the remainder of the devourer's power, the pain. When his puzzling mind had finally worked through the enigma of a woman he stood in front of, the rest of his mind caught up, and he found himself entranced for the seconds he had left.

"I didn't hear you coming," her scared voice said robotically, practically pleading with him not to bring up what he saw.

`"Uhhh…" Salvus stuttered, his face a light crimson. "I got something for you." Desperately hoping to give his mind more time to comprehend the situation, the blue and black robed mage pulled the item from his bottomless box and stepped forward to the now fully armored knight. His hardly used feet moved over the dilapidated stone path to the side of the roof, where it looked like she slept. As he handed the canvas wrapped blade to her, he glanced down to the bedroll and wondered why she slept there. Meanwhile, Anri was also trying to make since of the world around her.

The flood of blood from her pounding heart filled her vision and her face, demanding that she do something. Slowly cutting through the haze that hung over her mind, she unwrapped the cloth around the weapon she had been handed.

Why didn't he say anything about the scar? Would he leave? Was she that hideous? All the questions fell away, replaced with an awe she had felt very few other times in her terror filled life. The leather wrapped archwood handle fit her hand like a glove and the shape of the blade was instantly familiar, yet everything else was wrong. At the end of the grey wooden handle, a pomle of solid gold capped the sword, engraved upon it, the crest of Astora. She had often wondered about the ancient land that her armor came from but never before had her curiosity flared so brightly. Her eyes worked up the smooth leather wrapping and raised to the dark steel guard and the gem inlaid in its center. The solid piece of sapphire soaked the light around it in a glorious blue aura, shimmering with a similar light to that of the mage's spells. Despite the gem and the quality of the material, a blade was nothing without an edge and as her eyes rested upon it, her thoughts filled with wonder. The metal was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Dark steel alternated with light steel, flowing together in a straight blade which resembled a flowing river of hardened metal. The bands of light and dark seeped to the edges, crafting an razor of shimmering metal that she didn't think possible.

Salvus could almost hear the jaw dropping from inside the woman's armor and with a smirk he explained. "It was a gift to me years. I thought you could use it better than I ever could." She only brought her eyes up to meet his own of half a second, returning to the enchanting metal a moment later. She was at a loss for words.

 **xxxxxx**

 **If anyone is confused about Anri's new sword, look up Damascus steel, you'll get it. Also go watch cloud atlas.**

 **"** **Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.** **"**

 **"Truth is singular. Its versions are mistruths."**


End file.
